Eau De Résistance
by MarshmallowAtHeart
Summary: What if Logan was paired up with Veronica instead of Duncan for the surfing competition assignment? AU take on Credit Where Credit is Due
1. Chapter 1

_Things I'd rather do than go to the beach with Logan Echolls; make out with a broken bottle, be strapped to an ant-hill, spelunking. Take your pick._

Veronica sinks into the passenger seat, arms crossed and eyes staring out the window. She doesn't speak but that doesn't stop him from opening his smartass mouth and giving his two-bit comments nobody asked for.

She should have accepted Ms. Dent's invite to drive with Bodie Chang's parents. It's been awhile since she'd had a flat but she should have known that the 09ers were the type of dogs that were incapable of learning new tricks. She should have _walked_ to Gold Coast Beach.

* * *

There's one habit that Logan's never been able to kick and that's _Veronica Mars_.

She's a gravitational force he can't break away from no matter how hard he tries. He doesn't know how Duncan does it, moves in fluid motions as though Veronica is this invisible entity that has no affect on his life.

Logan feels her every move and breathes her every word and spits back flames of _I hate you._

His grin grows as her eyes harden and her lips twitch in annoyance; he prides himself on his ability to get under her skin. There are days when she stares at him with discontent and ignores him; he hates those days, his skin itches, his blood boils and he feels like he's going to combust right in front of her if she doesn't _look_ at him. Then there are days when she tilts her head and spits out a snappy remark emphasizing just how much she despises him; he lives for those days, fire on his finger tips, lungs full of air and it's like he holds meaning in her life.

"Troy Vangergraff, way to pick 'em, Ronnie."

His old nickname for her rolls off his tongue and strikes her. It's a reminder of what they had, of what they lost, of what she gave up. He taunts her and there's a part of him that voices if he taunts her enough, she'll come back to him. He buries that voice underneath the betrayal and pain that comes along with Veronica Mars.

"Well, if you don't like him, he must be a catch," she remarks, tight smile and she resists the urge to comment on his flavor of the week.

His lip quirks and he doesn't take his eyes off the road as he says, "It really says something about a guy that takes an interest in the girl everyone is calling a tramp."

"What?" She arches a brow, challenging. "That he doesn't listen to rumours?"

"Or that he thinks you're easy," he points out, his voice losing the bite it had and there's some underlying feeling that she's not stupid enough to believe is concern.

She snorts, humorlessly and remarks, "Wow, you'd think if hell had frozen over it'd be on the news because that made it sound like you actually gave a damn about what happens to me."

His jaw clenches, resisting the voice in his head that said he never stopped giving a damn. His hands tighten on the stirring wheel. "Hmm. Always thought hell was an ice cold bitch like you."

She breathes out fire, eyes striking blue as she glares at him before turning away again.

"Slow down," she lets out, eyes across the road where orange jumpsuits pick up trash, Eli Weevil Navarro staring back at her.

Her brows crease as she looks at him, she knows he didn't do it. She knows it in her _bones_ and she's going to prove it.

His eyes follow hers, a sardonic snort and shakes his head.

"I know it was you," she grits, self-righteous and vengeful.

"What was me?"

"The credit cards, I'm going to prove it," she promises.

"Yeah? Good luck with that, Nancy Drew," he laughs, unsurprised at her accusation. He's come to learn that whenever things go wrong in the world of Veronica Mars, he's her go-to bad guy. More often than not she's wrong despite how badly she wants to be right. There's a part of him that revels in the satisfaction of knowing her thoughts are spinning around him, knowing that she's working on figuring _him_ out for a change.

"You're despicable," she eyes him with disdain, her nose scrunching up before she turns away.

It ticks him off. _She_ ticks him off. Still, he wants her eyes back on him. "And you're barking up the wrong tree."

It takes a second and _there it is,_ her eyes on him and he bites the insides of his cheek to hide his smirk.

"Yeah?" She raises a brow, head tilting and eyes confident in her accusations. "So you wouldn't mind stopping at Neptune Grand when we're done here?"

He doesn't hide his smirk this time, teeth baring, he waggles his brows. "Feeling horny?"

She gives him an irked look, settling in her seat as she faces the front as she explains, "There was a charge to the honeymoon suite." She leaves out the bit about peaking into his internet browsing history and spotting him eyeing a room in said hotel.

His brow raises, eyes her for a moment before turning back to the road. "Why would I want to help you?"

"If you're not guilty, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't want to," as she says it, she knows it's a shot in the dark. Logan owes her no favours and certainly wouldn't grant her one out of the kindness of his heart. If it weren't for his lackeys she could have driven herself over to the Neptune Grand. "It's your family's credit card, don't you want to know who's digging through your trash if it's not you?"

"Tempting. But no," there's a moment of silence before he offers, "How about a bet?"

Her brows crease and curiosity should be a deadly sin because she can't resist asking, "A bet?"

"You get proof it was me and you can get me to do whatever you want," he drawls out and she imagines her life of peace without him in it. "But if it wasn't me," his grin reaches his eyes and Veronica knows this is nothing less than a deal with the devil, "you do anything I want."

_Anything_. Here's her chance to live a tire-slashed free life but what is it that Logan could want from her? Would it be worth the risk? "Why would I agree to that?"

His grin doesn't falter for a moment. "You're sure it was me, so what's the problem, Mars?"

She grinds her teeth, a list of exclusions on the tip of her tongue but doesn't want to give him a chance to give her his own list. "Fine."

She should have said no, gone back to ignoring him and checked out the Neptune Grand lead when she had a chance but Logan Echolls gets under her skin and rationality flies out the window. She's the one with the mystery to solve and he's the one that already knows how this ends. Is he pestering her because he knows he's going to win or is he trying to throw her of his track?

* * *

She hops out of the X-Terra, camera in hand and breathes in the salty air of the sea as he comes around to walk beside her, easily syncing up with her steps.

Just a week ago they'd stood across each other and he'd taken a crowbar to her car and now they were doing homework together.

_Life in Neptune, ain't it grand?_

"Why didn't you take part in the surf competition this year?" She finds herself asking as they walk side by side on the sandy shore.

"Miss ogling me, do you?" He grins, twirling his pencil between his fingers, his head bobs down, eyes falling to his orange hoodie and a breath of reassurance leaves him knowing his wounds are covered in layers of clothing.

"Oh, you got me," she dryly remarks, rolling her eyes. "Pasty, soft belly boys is my kink."

His eyes fall on hers with intent focus and his lip curls as he corrects her, "My underbelly is rock hard. It can go all night."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," she grins, mocking and his eyes glint, amused as he offers to show her.

* * *

She angles her camera, snapping shots of surfers riding waves and she finds herself catching glimpses of Logan, she watches him making conversation, hands gesturing wildly in the air and her lips involuntarily tug into a smile.

Sometimes, between moments in time, it's easy to forget the lines Logan had drawn between them and be swept up in nostalgia over the boy that used to be her friend. Sometimes, she has to remind herself that boy is long gone and all that is left is _Logan Echolls, the obligatory psychotic jackass_ that humiliates her for kicks. She hates him but the thing she hates the most is that sometimes she misses him.

He catches her gaze and it takes her a second to remember that her default expression is glaring eyes and not soft smiles. She clicks her camera and pretends that it's all apart of the job.

If it weren't for the right click at the right time she would never have seen the half smile and amused eyes reflecting on Logan's face. Her heart thumps in surprise and she swallows away the bubbling memories, chalking it up to the warm lighting of the sunset. The right hour of the day can make anyone look soft and attractive - even Logan strutting around in his _jackass-attention-seeking_ orange hoodie.

* * *

He shouldn't have been caught off-guard to find Veronica's gaze on him, he'd felt her before he'd seen her like he always does. Still, something about the way she looked at him had taken him by surprise. His lip curves despite himself but he's quick to school his features; she's Veronica Mars and the days he smiled at her were long gone - that was all _her_ fault. Not his.

The reminder is enough to set a scowl to his face. She'd abandoned him. She'd betrayed him. If it wasn't for her snitching to Lilly about one stupid meaningless kiss, he would have been there that day and Lilly would still be alive.

If she chose them instead of the man that tried to ruin Lilly's family then Duncan wouldn't be as lifeless as Lilly is.

If she had just tried to make amends, if she needed him just an inkling of how much he'd needed her then maybe things would be different. But she didn't choose him _\- them - Lilly -_ she didn't even try to. That's how he knows Veronica never gave a damn about him_. Lilly._

He remembers it all too fucking well, the last time they were really friends. _Homecoming_. _Limo rides_. _I've never_. He remembers the moonlight, sandy shoes and four laughing teenagers spilling champagne. He remembers confessed secrets, sloppy kisses and being happy. That's all gone now. Because of her. Because of Lilly. Because of him.

Sometimes he wonders what life would have been like if he hadn't made her choose and he hates that part of him the most - the part that misses her.

"Hey Ronnie," Logan calls out when he sees her walking by, his trademark smirk in place. "Why don't you bring your camera over here and Bodie will flex for ya."

She rolls her eyes, coming to a halt in front of him. "Be honest, you just want to compare biceps, don't you, Echolls?" She remarks, staring him head on. "Get a feel of a _real_ rock hard underbelly."

"I have more rock hard than you can handle, Mars," he's spotting a wolfish grin and his eyes are centered on her.

She shakes her head slightly, eyes never leaving his as she challenges, "You have no idea what I can handle." She leaves him standing with a self-satisfied grin and his eyes trailing after her.

* * *

He's not surprised when he sees the 09er guys clogging up the beach. It's a surf competition, it's to be expected.

He's not even surprised to see Troy hitting on Veronica considering how he'd _oh so kindly_ changed her tire for her.

He _is_ surprised when he sees Veronica reciprocating said flirtations. He can't stop staring at them, his jaw clenched and pencil incessantly tapping on his notepad.

He glances at Duncan, wondering if the golden boy knows his mysterious new friend is hitting on his trailer park ex.

He tries to refocus his attention to the waves, the surfers, bikini clad girls. He tries to make small talk with the guys but none of them are strong enough to pull him away from the gravitational force that is Veronica Mars.

Try as he might, Logan can't fathom how his friend doesn't feel his bones burn at the sight of her and he certainly doesn't know when the line between ignoring Veronica and pining after her overlapped for DK but here he is with nostalgia in his eyes. "Do you remember how it used to be?"

His jaw clenches and his blood pulses underneath his skin. How could Duncan ask him that? _Remember_ how it used to be? His entire fucking life revolves over how it used to be. He can't move on from how it used to be. _From Lilly. From Veronica._ There's no _remember_ when he's living with mocking demons of _how it used to be_ and there's no _remember_ when Veronica's always fucking there to remind him.

_Why the fuck do you think I'm so angry all the time?_ He wants to say. He should say. _Because fuck, Duncan, where have you been this past year? _

But Duncan's blood is calm and not raging to tear through his flesh like his so he lets out a single, "No."

No because he can never remember the way things used to be the way Duncan does and he hates that the only one that can understand that, understand him is Veronica fucking Mars.

* * *

The sky is dark when they're ready to leave, he's waiting for Veronica to come to his side so they can walk up together. Solely because they're going to his car and he doesn't want her to think he's backed out from their bet or anything. He doesn't _want_ to walk with her.

He's not surprised when Troy decides for this to be the moment he makes his exit.

"Hey, Veronica, hey, wait up," he calls, jogging up to catch up to her.

Veronica obligingly waits and annoyance trickles its way right down to Logan's fingertips.

"I, uh, I can give you a ride if you want," he offers, batting his barely there eyelashes.

Logan's sure Troy's expecting _oh, if you're sure, I don't want to bother you_ cue flirty eyes. While he's secretly thinking, _I want you to bother me_.

"Oh, uh," Veronica lets out and Logan knows Troy's a hopeful puppy that's not getting pet today, it's enough for the annoyance to fade and smugness to colour his eyes. "Thanks but Logan and I have something we need to take care of."

Troy's eyes flash pass Veronica to Logan, his jaw slackened and eyes suspicious. Logan grins, baring his white teeth. He feels a laugh bubble up his chest at the look on Troy's face but he holds it back, knowing any comment or sound from him would prompt an explanation - an explanation he doesn't want Troy to have.

"But really, thank you," she smiles and he nods, disappointment clear.

She turns away, walking toward Logan and he tries desperately to reign in his smugness but fails, so he turns around and walks ahead of her.

* * *

The first thing he notices is her smug smile and lit eyes - eyes that say _fuck you, I win._

She slides into the drivers seat, gleefully holding up a sheet of paper in his line of sight. "I believe this is what one would call proof," she all but sings, prideful and righteous. "Next time, don't let your girlfriend sign for room service."

"What?" His brows crinkle and he snatches the page from her hand. There it is, in black and white; _Caitlin Ford_, accompanied by her curvy signature and all the blood drains from his face.

She leans back, satisfied with her evidence as she basks in her _gotcha_ moment.

"I never took Caitlin to the Grand," he lets out, his fists clenching onto the page and he wants to punch something, specifically the guy fucking his girlfriend_._

"If you think lying is gonna get you out of this -"

_"Veronica,"_ her name is low and warm and it aches in a way that it doesn't have any right to. "She wasn't with me."

She stares at him, the _why should I believe you_ on the tip of her tongue but she stays silent and he drives her back to school with huffing rants about what a bitch Caitlin Ford is.

She knows that after tomorrow Caitlin Ford would cease to exist to Logan, to the 09ers - just like she had to Duncan.

He doesn't mention their bet and she doesn't remind him as he stirs in his anger.

* * *

It doesn't take her long to figure out who Caitlin Ford was hooking up. It was cake. The hard part was convincing Logan to not beat the crap out of him.

"Why do you care what I do to him?" His eyes are on her, intense and hard as if she's the one that's cheated on him.

"I don't," she shakes her head, eyes on his. "You're giving her the satisfaction of fighting for her. Is that what you want?"

His jaw clenches, gritting out, "I'm not going to let him get away with it."

"He's not," she says, more conviction than assurance. "Weevil will do more damage than you ever could."

He fights an internal debate before resigning. "If I see his face, I can't promise I won't punch it."

She gives him a small smile, bobbing her head and he feels his body go lax, the tension in his muscles fade away and the edges of his lips threatening to smile back. He hates it, he hates her and he hates himself for letting her have so much of control over his actions. Retaliating against himself, he forcefully clenches his jaw again and hardens his gaze because he's not giving her the satisfaction of thinking she has any affect on him.

She loses the smile, diverting her attention and the thing he hates the most is that he wants it back, her attention, her smile, her.

* * *

**A/N okay so this s1 hate to friends to whatever has been done over and over and over but i started this for the vm challenge months ago and i still haven't finished it but i really want to write the end cos i'm a sucker for this trope and i want to know what happens. honestly don't know if it's gonna be enemies to friends or enemies to lovers. there's like half of the next chapter done, i've got Meg added in the next chapter (meg x logan friendship - actually not friendship but kinda and meg x vee friendship), why wasn't she in the series sooner?**

**THE BIG QUESTION tho is what should Logan ask for? i have something in mind but it's so damned sappy, i feel like someone might have a better suggestion. so let me know what you think. damn v for taking that bet. she def wouldn't in the series.**

**ALSO if you have title suggests please feel welcome to tell me because i had no idea what to call this so i just got it from a fob song - i don't know if anyone noticed but that's like my go to for naming fics - it's from stay frosty royal milk tea, i almost just named it that lol**


	2. Chapter 2

Logan Echolls on the bleachers with his flask in hand isn't a surprising sight.

Meg knows this, she's never been one to initiate contact with the presumed 09er King but she recognizes the pain of heartbreak and he looks so alone that she can't help herself.

"Are you okay?" She asks. She's not equipped to deal with Logan Echolls, she'd learned a long time ago. He catches her off-guard, he smirks in unsettling, knowing ways that bring her shiver induced goose bumps and ever since lines were drawn between the 09ers and Veronica, she couldn't help but feel wary of Logan and his intentions.

She's always wondered if Logan begrudged her for not choosing between the two sides, for becoming the exception to the rule he's created.

She doesn't know what Logan thinks of her besides cheerleader and she's okay with that. She doesn't think much of him either but she knows that no one deserves to be cheated on, even obligatory psychotic jackasses – as dubbed by Veronica.

"Peachy," he smirks, cocking his head as he looks at her.

She would believe him but she doesn't think anyone's that strong to be okay with someone cheating on them; not even the great Logan Echolls.

"It's okay if you're not," she suggests, offering a tentative little smile and perhaps a shoulder to cry on even though she knows that he would never take it.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" His stare is sharp, concentrated, she stands tall and forces herself to not shrink away from his gaze.

"Caitlin cheated on you," she lets out, soft and sorry. Everyone had been informed of the indiscretion courtesy of Dick and had bared witness to the moment she'd been outcast from the 09er table.

"Caitlin who?" Logan raises a brow, half smirk in place and it would be so easy for her to believe none of this mattered to him.

She doesn't know why she wants to help him or maybe she does. She thinks about Veronica and how despite everything that's happened between her and Logan, she sometimes gets this twinkle in her eyes when they're swapping jabs or mocking each other. Their words are hateful but their eyes are fire. She doesn't know what it means but she knows it means _something_.

"Pretending something doesn't exist doesn't stop it from existing," she tells him.

His brows raise, mouth curving as he swings his flask up to his lips and remarks, "Becky James ain't got nothing on ya."

Meg's lips thin into a tight smile. She'd tried to help but she's never been equipped to deal with Logan Echolls despite how easy Veronica makes it seem. "Right well, sorry for bothering."

She's about ready to turn on her heel and leave him to brood alone when she hears him, "I don't care about Caitlin," a half sigh filling his words. "But I hate that she cheated."

She nods and lets out an extended sigh, her tongue clicks on the roof of her mouth and she lets out, "What a bitch."

He chuckles, surprised that the good girl extraordinaire just cursed on his behalf.

She takes it as an invitation and sits beside him. "You know," she starts, tentatively. "Maybe you should date someone that you actually care about. Then they can care about you too."

His head leans back, he doesn't tell her that his pathetically sullen state isn't about Caitlin. "There hasn't been anyone that I've even come close to caring about since."

Silence fills the space _her _name would bring. The glorified Lilly Kane. The Sinner turned Saint. Logan's Great Love.

Anyone who existed in the same space as the former foursome could see how the loss had ruined them.

They repelled what they needed the most, they repelled each other. She doesn't know if those burned bridges could be mended, if they'd be able to let go of their anger long enough to realize that they're birds of the same feather.

She bites her lip, debating her next words. "What about Veronica?"

He chokes on air, forcing a laugh. He doesn't know if it's the fake grin on his lips that hurt or the sound of her name ringing through his ears. "Are you high?"

Meg's eyes light up, he regrets not snarling at her and sending her away the moment she decided to talk to him. "Isn't it elementary? Pulling on ponytails." She'd thought she was pulling at straws but she's found her needle and finds that she doesn't mind poking this bear.

He swallows, his heart and head betraying him. "Did you miss the part where we hate each other?"

"You know what they say about the line between love and hate. Honestly, sometimes the line looks a lot like dot when you're going at each other."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"Everyone that's ever betrayed you has gotten shunned and forgotten except Veronica. You say she's betrayed you yet you go out of your way to get her attention. So yeah, I think you care about Veronica."

"I don't care about Veronica," he blows out.

"Yeah, of course, Logan Echolls, heartless. Got it. I'll spread it around," she says, failing to bite back her grin. He swings another drink to his mouth and she gets up. "Just, you know, you didn't deserve what Caitlin did to you. You deserve better."

His gaze flickers to her, trademark smirk in place. "Thanks for the validation, I'm all better now."

Meg grins and ignores his blatant sarcasm as she sweetly remarks, "You're welcome."

* * *

"No," she scoffs, books in hand, she slams her locker door shut as she walks away from him.

"A bet is a bet is a bet," he chimes, eyes bright and smirky lips mocking her as he follows.

"I'm not going to be your slave for a week."

"Fine. Five days," he negotiates, striding to get in front of her.

"Never," she snarls, walking past him.

She's practically running away from him but he keeps up pace with her power walk. "You lost, fair and square."

She takes a second to glare at him as she walks. "I found out who was screwing you over. I'd say we're even."

"You solved your mystery of the week. You didn't do it for me," he corrects her.

"Since when do you care if I do things for you?"

"Since you became my slave."

"I'm not your damned slave."

"Servant."

"No."

"Handmaiden."

"Fuck off."

"Three days, title of your choosing."

"I'm not waiting on you so forget it."

"What do you think I'm going to tell you to do?"

"Burn at the stakes."

"Veronica," he says as though she's ridiculous but hasn't that been what he's done this past months? He's put her on a stake and he's lit the fire. She should know, she's _still_ burning.

She comes to an abrupt halt and he takes it as a win. Looking him in the eye, she says, "One thing. You get _one_ thing from me," she holds up her index finger. "Choose wisely," she tells him in all finality as she walks away from him.

He lets his eyes linger on her retreating figure and blows out a breath.

* * *

**_A.N so I've kinda got an idea of where I want this to go now, thanks for the reviews and inspiration! This chapter was supposed to be much longer but every time I went on the doc to write, I kept removing paragraphs so I was like okay, let's get this out and work on the next idea in a new chapter._**


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